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- Thread starter Bomber_12th
- Start date
F-51 Mustangs FF-197 and FF-822 of the 192nd FBS
A widely published photograph of Mustang 44-73822 / FF-822 of the 192nd FBS wrongly states it to belong to the Iceland Defense Force (IDF) at Keflavik AB, Iceland. This aircraft is not on the serial number list from Col. R. W. Gruenhagen of the 25 Mustangs which actually went to Iceland and this photograph was obviously not taken in Iceland (as I pointed out earlier in this thread).
The photograph of FF-822 was most probably taken at the same occasion as the photograph of the flight line of Mustangs with 44-72197 / FF-197 standing nearest to the camera. The Mustangs on the flight line are probably part of the 35 aircraft out if which 25 were selected for the final transfer from USA to Iceland in August 1952 as described below.
As I pointed out earlier in this thread Mustang 44-72197 / FF-197 also did not serve in Iceland and is missing the distinctive arctic-red markings which were applied to all the 25 IDF-Mustangs before their transfer from the USA to Iceland.
The transfer of the IDF-Mustangs from USA to Iceland is also documented by Jeffrey L. Ethell (1947-1997) in his well known book „P-51 Mustang, A Documentary History“. Jeffrey was the son of Major Ervin „Erv“ C. Ethell (1920-2003) which commanded the IDF-Mustangs during the first half of their seven month service time in Iceland before being replaced by F-94Cs. The description of the transfer given by Jeffrey complies in all details with the description given by Col. R. W. Gruenhagen in his documentation, including the final arrival of 25 Mustangs in Iceland. Starting on page 149 Jeffrey says:
„While serving as 192nd Squadron commander Ethell was approached by 131st Fighter Bomber Wing commander Woody Ramsey in the summer of 1952 about what was to be the last overwater military movement of Mustangs in the USAF. The government of Iceland, having been promised US aircraft for their air defense, made it clear that if fighters did not arrive by 1 September 1952 the American presence in Iceland would no longer be welcome. The only fighters immediately available were the F-51s at George, and so the would have to go.
Some 35 aircraft were taken from eight separate units, along with pilots and support personnel. The F-51s were painted in arctic markings and made combat-ready. On 26 August 1952 Erv Ethell led the new squadron into the air from George. Three C-124s hauled the maintenance personnel and spare parts. The aim was to have 30 aircraft reach the east coast, since there would be no time for major repairs en route.
The first leg to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, and the second to Wright-Patterson, Ohio, went as planned, but 25 new batteries were needed before the third leg, to Presque Isle, Maine, could be flown. Ethell, a major was flatly denied the batteries by an irate colonel during a 15-minute debate on the flight line. Only after he invoked the authority of Gen Virgil Zoller, who was following in a B-26, was Ethell reluctantly given the batteries.
From Wright-Patterson the Mustangs were split into flights of four and sent to Maine. But then the aircraft began to land all over the place between Otis AFB, Massachusetts, and Presque Isle. The new engines had not been run in, resulting in glycol leaks, magneto and other problems, but in the end everyone arrived at Maine. The North Atlantic weather briefing reveled a 50 per cent possibility of snow at Goos bay, Labrador, the next stop, but Ethell decided to press on. As the last flight of four arrived there the snow began to come down hard. It lasted for two days!
The only way into the next field, Bluie West One in Greenland, was up a fjord between snow and ice-covered mountain. A total of 25 aircraft were selected for the flight from Goose to Bluie West One. At Greenland one went out with a coolant leak. On 1 September Ethell led his 24 Mustangs to Iceland, passing over Reykjavik in show formation before braking up flights to land at Keflavik. The F-51s taxied in and lined up for inspection as Ethell told those gathered thad ammunition was an board the aircraft and that only the guns had to be charged. The USAF was in place as promised, with eight aircraft on alert and another 16 ready.
In fact the US presence was only a token one, as there was no air-defense radar of control system in Iceland. Maintenance crews went over the aircraft, but did not get all of them to alert status until 15 September. After three months Ethell, his pilots and airmen left and replacement personnel took over. Seven months later F-94s were flown in to replace the old F-51s and era had passed. The North American Mustang, even though it would serve for a few more years in the air national Guard, had finally been withdrawn from the nation’s first line of defense.“
In his documentation Col. R. W. Gruenhagen explains why 24 and not 25 aircraft arrived in Iceland on 1 September 1952 and how the strength of 25 aircraft was reached:
„44-74382 was left at BW-1 (Narssasuak, Greenland) enroute for an engine change which was completed in one week. A B-26 Navigation aircraft accompanied the Mustangs on all the overwater legs and the later pick-up of 382.“
A widely published photograph of Mustang 44-73822 / FF-822 of the 192nd FBS wrongly states it to belong to the Iceland Defense Force (IDF) at Keflavik AB, Iceland. This aircraft is not on the serial number list from Col. R. W. Gruenhagen of the 25 Mustangs which actually went to Iceland and this photograph was obviously not taken in Iceland (as I pointed out earlier in this thread).
The photograph of FF-822 was most probably taken at the same occasion as the photograph of the flight line of Mustangs with 44-72197 / FF-197 standing nearest to the camera. The Mustangs on the flight line are probably part of the 35 aircraft out if which 25 were selected for the final transfer from USA to Iceland in August 1952 as described below.
As I pointed out earlier in this thread Mustang 44-72197 / FF-197 also did not serve in Iceland and is missing the distinctive arctic-red markings which were applied to all the 25 IDF-Mustangs before their transfer from the USA to Iceland.
The transfer of the IDF-Mustangs from USA to Iceland is also documented by Jeffrey L. Ethell (1947-1997) in his well known book „P-51 Mustang, A Documentary History“. Jeffrey was the son of Major Ervin „Erv“ C. Ethell (1920-2003) which commanded the IDF-Mustangs during the first half of their seven month service time in Iceland before being replaced by F-94Cs. The description of the transfer given by Jeffrey complies in all details with the description given by Col. R. W. Gruenhagen in his documentation, including the final arrival of 25 Mustangs in Iceland. Starting on page 149 Jeffrey says:
„While serving as 192nd Squadron commander Ethell was approached by 131st Fighter Bomber Wing commander Woody Ramsey in the summer of 1952 about what was to be the last overwater military movement of Mustangs in the USAF. The government of Iceland, having been promised US aircraft for their air defense, made it clear that if fighters did not arrive by 1 September 1952 the American presence in Iceland would no longer be welcome. The only fighters immediately available were the F-51s at George, and so the would have to go.
Some 35 aircraft were taken from eight separate units, along with pilots and support personnel. The F-51s were painted in arctic markings and made combat-ready. On 26 August 1952 Erv Ethell led the new squadron into the air from George. Three C-124s hauled the maintenance personnel and spare parts. The aim was to have 30 aircraft reach the east coast, since there would be no time for major repairs en route.
The first leg to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, and the second to Wright-Patterson, Ohio, went as planned, but 25 new batteries were needed before the third leg, to Presque Isle, Maine, could be flown. Ethell, a major was flatly denied the batteries by an irate colonel during a 15-minute debate on the flight line. Only after he invoked the authority of Gen Virgil Zoller, who was following in a B-26, was Ethell reluctantly given the batteries.
From Wright-Patterson the Mustangs were split into flights of four and sent to Maine. But then the aircraft began to land all over the place between Otis AFB, Massachusetts, and Presque Isle. The new engines had not been run in, resulting in glycol leaks, magneto and other problems, but in the end everyone arrived at Maine. The North Atlantic weather briefing reveled a 50 per cent possibility of snow at Goos bay, Labrador, the next stop, but Ethell decided to press on. As the last flight of four arrived there the snow began to come down hard. It lasted for two days!
The only way into the next field, Bluie West One in Greenland, was up a fjord between snow and ice-covered mountain. A total of 25 aircraft were selected for the flight from Goose to Bluie West One. At Greenland one went out with a coolant leak. On 1 September Ethell led his 24 Mustangs to Iceland, passing over Reykjavik in show formation before braking up flights to land at Keflavik. The F-51s taxied in and lined up for inspection as Ethell told those gathered thad ammunition was an board the aircraft and that only the guns had to be charged. The USAF was in place as promised, with eight aircraft on alert and another 16 ready.
In fact the US presence was only a token one, as there was no air-defense radar of control system in Iceland. Maintenance crews went over the aircraft, but did not get all of them to alert status until 15 September. After three months Ethell, his pilots and airmen left and replacement personnel took over. Seven months later F-94s were flown in to replace the old F-51s and era had passed. The North American Mustang, even though it would serve for a few more years in the air national Guard, had finally been withdrawn from the nation’s first line of defense.“
In his documentation Col. R. W. Gruenhagen explains why 24 and not 25 aircraft arrived in Iceland on 1 September 1952 and how the strength of 25 aircraft was reached:
„44-74382 was left at BW-1 (Narssasuak, Greenland) enroute for an engine change which was completed in one week. A B-26 Navigation aircraft accompanied the Mustangs on all the overwater legs and the later pick-up of 382.“
